"Dare" is written by David Brind and directed by Adam Salky. It focuses on a group of high school seniors who change their lives in dramatic ways. In addition to Rossum, the cast includes Ashley Springer, Ana Gasteyer and Sandra Bernhard.

"The River Why" is based on the 1983 Sierra Club novel by David James Duncan. Matt Leutwyler is directing that film, which is expected to begin production by late summer in the Pacific Northwest.

It's unclear how Gilford's busy movie schedule -- he's also completed work on "The Post Grad Survival Guide" for Fox Atomic -- will mean for QB1 Matt Saracen, the actor's "Friday Night Lights" character. The series is set to return to DirectTV this fall and to NBC in early 2009.